In one aspect, the present invention relates to a lighting accessory system for providing an illuminable tool. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fiberoptic lighting accessory affixable to a surgical or medical tool.
Practitioners in the surgical arts frequently find themselves with a need for enhanced visualization of a body tissue or other workpieces disposed within body cavities. A variety of illumination systems have been devised to address this need. One option is overhead lighting. Overhead illumination in an operating room is directable, and in some cases focusable, so that a surgeon may use this lighting better to visualize the surgical field. Overhead light sources, however, provide a more general and diffuse type of illumination. Another option involves the use of illuminated devices held in a person""s hand. To direct light towards a specific target, surgeons and other operating room personnel may employ handheld lighting instruments, such as lighted retractors or flexible surgical flashlights. If such tools are held by the surgeon, however, they tie up a hand that the surgeon may need for other manipulations. If such tools are held by other members of the surgical team, the person holding the light may not be able to direct it accurately towards what the surgeon wants to have illuminated. To overcome some of the limitations of the aforesaid lighting systems, surgeons may elect to wear conventional surgical headlights. These devices, however, have limitations as well. Surgical headlights commonly are heavy, uncomfortable and hot. The light may require periodic or and possibly frequent redirection so that it is properly aimed along the line of the surgeon""s sight. Other members of the operating team may need to exercise caution so that they do not block or strike the surgeon""s light, especially when procedures are being undertaken in deep body cavities. The light itself may generate sufficient heat that it can bum tissues if it comes in contact with them. Furthermore, the headlight and all related apparatus is unsterile, so the surgeon and the operating team must be cautious so as to avoid contamination of the surgical field. A need therefore remains in the art to provide an easy to use lighting system that may be directed specifically at a surgical site or other workpiece being manipulated. There is a further need in the art for such a system adapted for single use disposability. Advantageously, such a system would avoid interference with the actual performance of the operation, including the motions and maneuvers carried out by the entire surgical team to carry out the surgery safely.
Other settings will be evident to those of ordinary skill in related arts where a lighting accessory directable to a recessed area or other inaccessible region would be useful. In particular, there is a need for a tool that can illuminate an object to be grasped in a difficult to reach area and that will not obstruct the grasping of the object.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a lighting accessory system that comprises an anchoring base affixable to a proximal end of the tool, a lightguide using a fiber-optic fiber whose proximal end is attached to the anchoring base and whose distal end extends distally along a face of the tool to illuminate a distal surface of the tool, and a fiber-optic cable assembly connected to the proximal end of the fiber-optic fiber that conveys light energy thereto. The lighting accessory system may also include an attachment clip that attaches the lightguide to the face of the tool. In certain embodiments, the anchoring base may cover the proximal end of the tool. In certain embodiments, the lightguide may comprise a hypotube. The hypotube may be adjustable. The lightguide may be centered on the tool. In certain embodiments, the anchoring base may include an attachment means. In some embodiments, the attachment means may be selected from a group consisting of friction fit, set screws, ratchets, cable ties, adhesives, spring clams, roller clamps, cam or lever locks, elastic material or hook and loop fasteners, welding, rivets, tight friction fit, or chemical bonding. The attachment means may comprise an elastomeric polymer. In certain embodiments, the tool may comprise two arms that converge proximally to attach to each other with the face of the tool located on an outer surface, or an inner surface, or a top surface, or a bottom surface of an arm. The tool may be a forceps selected from the group consisting of Adson forceps, DeBakey forceps, neuro forceps, bayonet forceps, jewelers forceps, smooth pickups, and toothed pickups. In certain embodiments, the lighting accessory system may further comprise a light adapter for attaching a light pipe on the fiber-optic cable to a light source, the light adapter comprising a body having a lumen, a proximal end for connection to a light source, and a distal end for connection to a fiber-optic cable, and also having a light transmitting insulator positioned in the proximal end, and further having a means for anchoring the fiber-optic cable. In certain embodiments, the light transmitting insulator is glass. In certain embodiments, the means for anchoring the fiber-optic cable comprises at least one of the following: an iris, set screws, ratchets, adhesives, spring clamps, trumpet valve clamps, roller clamps, cam or lever locks. In certain embodiments, the iris may be an elastomeric iris. In certain embodiments, the light adapter may further comprise a heat sink. In certain embodiments, the light adapter may further comprise a visual indicator to indicate insertion of the light pipe. In certain embodiments, the light adapter may be molded or bonded to the fiber-optic cable.
In another aspect, the present invention provides an illuminable tool, having a forceps with a first arm and a second arm that converge proximally to join a proximal end of the forceps, with the first arm extending distally to terminate in a first grasping tip, and the second arm extending distally to terminate in a second grasping tip, and also having a fiber-optic fiber removably affixed to at least one arm of the forceps, and having a proximal end attachable to a light source and a distal end positionable at a distal part of the at least one arm, wherein the fiber-optic fiber transmits light that nonobstructingly illuminates an object adjacent to and graspable between the first grasping tip in the second grasping tip. By nonobstructingly illuminating the object, the fiber-optic fiber does not mechanically impair the grasping of the object by the grasping tips. In certain embodiments, the illuminable tool may comprise a surgical forceps. The surgical forceps may be selected from the group consisting of Adson forceps, DeBakey forceps, neuro forceps, bayonet forceps, jewelers forceps, smooth pickups, and toothed pickups. The fiber-optic fiber may be affixed to an inner face, an outer face, a top face, or a bottom face of the at least one arm. The fiber-optic fiber may be carried within a lightguide assembly. In certain embodiments, the illuminable tool may further comprise an anchoring base that attaches the fiber-optic fiber to the proximal end of the forceps. The anchoring base may cover the proximal end of the forceps. The anchoring base may be removably attach to the forceps. The illuminable tool may further comprise a light cable removably attached to the proximal end of the fiber-optic fiber. The light cable may include a fiber-optic cable assembly. In certain embodiments, the illuminable tool may further comprise an anchoring clip that affixes the fiber-optic fiber to the forceps distal to the proximal end of the forceps and proximal to the grasping tip of the at least one arm. The fiber-optic fiber may be partially embedded in the at least one arm, or it may be positioned within a group in the at least one arm. In certain embodiments, the fiber-optic fiber is completely embedded within the at least one arm.
In another aspect, the present invention provides an illuminable tool adapted for manual use, having a forceps with two arms converging proximally to join at a proximal end and extending distally to terminate in grasping tips, at least one of the two arms including a fiber-optic illuminating means to illuminate a workpiece adjacent to and graspable by the grasping tips, the fiber-optic illuminating means being dimensionally adapted for permitting the approximation of the grasping tips without obstruction thereof. In certain embodiments, the forceps may be surgical forceps.